2009 Research for Undergraduates (REU) Program Directors: Dr.
Darrell Donahue, Dr. David Neivandt, Dr. Douglas Gardner
Slide 2
Inorganic Wood Composite of Sodium Silicate and cellulose
nanofibrils John Attonito CUNY Queens College Advisors: Dr. Douglas
Gardner, Dr. Yousoo Han & Yucheng Peng Mixtures consist of
Sodium Silicate, Wood Flour, Formaldehyde and various
concentrations of nanocellulose Method consists of Pressing within
a compression mold and curing in an oven Steel Compression Mold
Sample Sodium Silicate Wood Flour Nano- cellulose 170%30%-
270%28%2% 370%25%5% 470%22%8% 570%20%10% Sample Compositions in an
attempt to prove the effects of nanocellulose as an additive
Slide 3
Cellulose Nanofiber Coated Paper Jacquie Beckvermit Fort Lewis
College Advisor- Dr. Doug Bousfield and visiting scientist Hitomi
Hamada 2.7 wt% Nanofiber Cellulose used to coat paper to increase
the print quality while eliminating the use of petroleum based
products. This procedure and all materials are ecologically
friendly making coated paper a green product. Uncoated Coated with
Nanofibers 3g/m 2
Slide 4
Life Cycle Assessment of Wood Hemicellulosic Bio-ethanol Rachel
Bowman Western Kentucky University, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Advisor: Dr. Anthony Halog Cradle to Gate LCA of wood
based bioethanol using SimaPro, Eco-LCA, Open LCA models Considers
Near-Neutral extraction method of producing hemicellulosic bio-
ethanol as part of a modified Kraft Pulp Mill Compares the three
LCA models and determines which presents the best representation of
the data Preliminary SimaPro results show that the greatest
environmental impact categories are Fossil Fuels, Respective
Inorganics, Climate Change, Land Use, and Acidification from the
Causticizing Process, Wood Chip Production, and Hog Fuel Boiler
Normalized Environmental Impacts from Ethanol Production
Slide 5
Hydrodeoxygenation of a Model Compound of Pyrolysis Oil Using
Molybdenum Catalysts on Activated Carbon Supports. Nick Dunn Union
College. Advisors: Dr. Brian Frederick and Dr. Clayton Wheeler 0.5g
of the sulfided catalyst is added to 3.00mL of the model compound
guaiacol in 100mL decalin. The mixture is heated up to 300C and put
under 50 bar H 2 pressure for 4 hrs, with periodic samples
taken
Slide 6
Converting Lignin into Nano Structured Carbon Materials Alden
Earle Ramapo College of New Jersey Advisor: Dr. David Neivandt
Lignin is an underused byproduct of the Kraft pulping process that
is largely burnt for fuel. It is the 2 nd most plentiful organic
polymer in the world. Nano-carbon is used for numerous applications
due to its high electrical and thermal conductivity, high tensile
strength, surface area etc. However, it is typically expensive to
mass produce and employs non-renewable feedstocks. A proprietary
method of converting lignin into nano structured carbon materials
is being developed. Significant room exists for optimization of the
process.
Slide 7
The Study of the Total Pressure during the Acid Hydrolysis with
SS Alex A. Haluska Syracuse University Advisor: Dr. Adriaan van
Heiningen & Graduate Student, Rory Jara The Study of the Total
Pressure during the Acid Hydrolysis with SO 2 as a Function of
Temperature and SO 2 Alex A. Haluska Syracuse University Advisor:
Dr. Adriaan van Heiningen & Graduate Student, Rory Jara 1%
xylan, 1% acetic acid, 98% water to simulate Hot Water Extract
(HWE) 1% xylan, 1% sodium acetate, 98% water to simulate Near
Neutral Extract (NNE) Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) is a gas that can be
used as a catalyst for the hydrolysis of hemicelluloses oligomers
SO 2 Reactor SO 2 trap H2O2H2O2 H 2 SO 4 Xylan e Scale SO 2 + H 2 O
2 H 2 SO 4
Slide 8
Utilizing Tangential Flow Ultrafiltration for the Concentration
of Hemicellulose Extracts Rob Jonson Kansas State University
Advisor: Dr. Peter van Walsum & Graduate Student Sara Walton
Hot water and green liquor hemicellulose extracts must be
concentrated before they can be fermented. Filtration might be
optimized by developing a relationship between extraction intensity
and the extracts molecular weight distribution.
Slide 9
Separation and Classification of High-Value Chemicals in Picea
species Annemarie Nauert University of Missouri Advisors: Drs. Cole
& Fort Graduate Student: Regan LeBlanc Separation of secondary
metabolites found in bark by liquid-liquid extractions
Classification based on antioxidant activity, phenolics, and
flavonoids content Effort to use most environmentally-conscious
solvents
Slide 10
Bioprospecting for an enzyme that cleaves ether bonds between
lignin and hemicellulose in hardwoods Rosie Ochoa- Sacramento City
College Advisors: Dr. Nancy G. Kravit Environmental colonies
Environmental samples and ATCC cultures were screened for their
ability to cleave the ether bond between xylan (primary sugar in
hardwood hemicellulose) and 4- Methylumbelliferone. Positive
cultures were grown and tested in different media and growth
conditions to optimize enzyme expression.
Slide 11
Acid springing and extraction using trioctylamine Audrey
Polifka Kansas State University Advisor Dr. Peter van Walsum Goal
is to extract acetic acid from a model solution using trioctylamine
(TOA) as the extractor and octanol as the diluent. Testing
variables such as concentrations of organic & aqueous phases,
ratio of organic to aqueous, temperature of reaction, and pH of
aqueous phase. Also determining recyclability of TOA to be used in
economic analysis.
Slide 12
Analysis of the Hemicellulose Pre-Extraction from Red Maple
Wood Diego Rosso University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Advisor: Dr.
Adriaan van Heiningen & Graduate Student, Rory Jara Comparison
of hemicellulose extractions by hot water extraction using a batch
and a continuous flow process. Analyze the rate of hemicellulose
extraction for Red Maple wood strands, wood chips, and wood meal.
Mass Balances ~30.0g of Dry Wood Extractor HPLC HPAEC
Slide 13
Slide 14
Extraction of Shikimic Acid from foliage of the Picea Species
Alexander Shaffer Youngstown State University Advisors: Drs.
Barbara Cole & Ray Fort * Graduate Student: Gedivinne Nilmini *
HS Student: Mark Rowe Goal: Minimize tree waste in an optimized
industrial ready process that maximizes yield of shikimic acid at a
low cost while maintaining other industrial operations at their
current capacity. Initial Findings: Higher temperature = Better
Extraction Crushing needles improves results Length of extraction
impacts extraction results 100 C 140 C 100 C140 C Crushed Needles /
Whole Needles B = Basic C = Crushed H = Hour W = Whole
Slide 15
Isolating a Novel Enzyme that Cleaves Non- glycosidic Bonds
Between Lignin and Hemicellulose Morgan Urello Columbia University
Advisor: Dr. Nancy Kravit & Dr. Kathy Schmidt B603 produces an
enzyme that cleaves the non-glycosidic bonds between lignin and
hemicellulose cDNA from B603 has been used to create a lambda
library The library was screened using a substrate that mimics the
lignin-hemicellulose ether bond The insert coding for the desired
enzyme is being identified and subcloned into an expression vector
to optimize production Figure 1. Plaque Lift membrane under 254 nm
UV light Figure 2. Plaque Lift membrane under 365 nm UV light
Slide 16
Tracy Vassiliev James F. Doughty School, Bangor, ME Raye Anne
DeSoto, Gardner Middle School, Gardner, ME Advisor: Dr. David
Neivandt & Dr. Darrell Donahue 2009 Research for Teachers (RET)
Program Tracy Vassiliev James F. Doughty School, Bangor, ME Raye
Anne DeSoto, Gardner Middle School, Gardner, ME Advisor: Dr. David
Neivandt & Dr. Darrell Donahue Develop Curriculum Fermentation,
Life Cycle Assessment, Fungus, GPS (FBRI geocaches), Nanotechnology
Dissemination FBRI Teacher Blog http://fbri.edublogs.org FBRI
Middle School Curriculum Ideas REU Interviews 2009 Maine
Association of Middle Level Education Conference 2010 National
Science Teachers Association Conference 2009 New England &
Maine Educators of the Gifted & Talented Bread in a Bag 4 FBRI
Geocaches Fungus LCA Brewing Root Beer Teacher Blog
